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Rock That Body

Here’s the deal. I feel that I can sit here and comfortably talk about healthy diet without being hypocritical, but when it comes to exercise I don’t really have much jurisdiction. There are 3 schools of thought. One is people who are great at incorporating proper diet and exercise. There are people who invest a lot of time in their physical physique, but their diet is horrendous. And then there are people like me who put good things into their body, but don’t train the outside. I know I need to better balance this in my life, but at the same time I’m a firm believer that eating healthier is much better than destroying your inside with junk food. Tosca Reno, wife of Oxygen magazine creator Robert Kennedy, is well known for her series of Eat Clean books. She says your body is 10% genetics, 10% exercise, and 80% diet. Have you ever heard the phrase “abs are made in the kitchen”? That might be a reason why you don’t have a six pack, despite your best workout efforts. But one cannot forget that Oxygen is a magazine for women who are serious about lifting weights, so exercise is still paramount. Tosca’s body is a product of pure dedication and hard work; something we should all aim for.

Tosca Reno

Right now the only physical activity I get stems from my Ashtanga & Vinyasa yoga practice. This has really built up my arms, but I view yoga as mental exercise, a way to let go of the ego, and a time where you can slow down. Ashtanga will definitely make you sweat, but the cardio benefits are very different from, say, going on a run. As a veteran wagon-faller-offer when it comes to running, I know not to bother with it. I wish I could run. I envy people in their shiny spandex beasting down the roads. My knees and shins just cannot take the stress, and no matter how carefully I approach the matter I always get injured. Thankfully this past summer I found BodyRock. Perhaps you’ve stumbled across the videos on YouTube. Body Rock is the brainchild of Zuzana &Freddy. Zuzana was formerly a porn star in Eastern Europe before Freddy married her and saved her from the profession. She is really the sweetest girl and it comes across in her videos. Zuzana is a great example of how you can really turn your life around. Though the videos do have a sexual aspect to them, if you look beyond that (and actually try the workouts) they are very demanding. I was put off at first, but if anyone is going to be sexy it should be this girl because her body is fierce.

About 2 months ago she and Freddy announced they would be splitting up, but still working as partners for the site. It’s all very sad, as they were such a great team. The site is going through some changes, but there are over 600 prior videos with Zuzana featured, and the new workouts are still top notch. The videos focus around HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Training that uses body weight and some equipment. The hosts will explain modifications for beginners or people who don’t have equipment. I’m never sure why I haven’t been able to stick with her workouts before, but when I do them I can see significant changes in my body. Yesterday they just started their 12 Days of Christmas Workout Series, and I’m going to jump in. If you are someone who isn’t used to working out please take things slowly and listen to your body. There is no pride in having sloppy form and injuring yourself! Every day people are starting out on BodyRock and doing what they can to make it through the workouts, so you are not alone.

To stay true to myself and give you guys and idea of what I’m doing for the next week (maybe longer!) I’ll be documenting my workouts and what I eat in a day so you can see the variety and options.

Now Peel (and sweat) Away!

Jocellyn

PS:

Here are some other workout sites to check out.

The Tabata Protocol was developed by Izumi Tabata. It is based off of moderate bursts of energy with short rests. This helps burn fat as you are keeping your heart rate up. Zuzana and other B.R hosts use the Gym Boss interval watch to keep track of their active and rest periods. It’s not too expensive, but you can also use these free websites.

Check out Blogilates if you are looking for something a little less high-impact. This chick seems so infectious. As of today I’m currently following her 90 day plan as well as Body Rocking a few times a week.

Bex Life is another YouTube workout sensation who is fit and healthy in order to set a good example for her kids. How awesome is that? She features new workouts every week and lots of yummy recipes. Many of them are great intro dishes to raw veganism.

Gain Fitness is a website I found on Stumble Upon a few weeks ago. You let it know if you are working out at home or in the gym, how many minutes you have, and what areas you want to work. It’ll then spit out a workout for you with reps and sets. The home workouts don’t use any equipment, but feel free to supplement in weights if you have some.